Means for sealing insulators



June 16, 1931. K. A. HAWLEY MEANS FOR SEALING INSULATORS Filed April 12,1926 Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' KENT A. HAWLEY, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LOCKE INSULATORCOE- IPORATIQN, 01F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPOBATION OF MARYLAND MEANSFOR. SEALING INSTULATORS Application filed April 12,

The invention relates to methods of :and

means for treating insulators, particularly or connecting elements whichhave terminal portions anchored to the insulator body as by means oftype metal or other suitable alloy embedding the terminals, thismaterial being poured, while molten, into holes provided in theporcelain body. Generally, the anchoring meta-l contains a largepercentage of zinc and it has been found that after pro longed exposureto the air the metal oxidizes and consequently expands or acquires acoating. The increase in size causes excessive pressure to come upon theporcelain at the holes and this frequently results in chipping, crackingor breaking. It is also realized that when the molten metal is pouredinto the holes and subsequently solidifies, the consequent shrinkage ofthe. metal causes a crack or space to occur between it and the walls ofthe holes. Air and moisture may then of course enter and the abovementioned oxidizing eflect takes place. In addition to this, if waterenters and subsequently freezes, as it will in cold weather, there isgreat danger of the insulator breaking. However, in View of the factthat the same swelling action of the metal takes place at theundersideof the insulator as at the topit would appear that it is theoxidation that causes the damage rather than. the entrance of water, asno appreciable amount of water could gain access to the underside.

It is with theabove facts in view that extensive experiments have beencarried out with the object of sealing and protecting the metal againstair and moisture. The application of a coating of initially viscousmaterial under ordinary methods is not practical for the reason that thematerial would not enter the. crevices owing to the fact that they arenaturally full of air. A thin film of viscous material would extendacross the crevices or space but under the influence of tem aperturechanges such film would probably 1928. Serial No. 101,602.

crack permitting. air and moisture'to gain access, the above mentioneddestructive action resulting.

The object of the invention, more specifically stated, is to provide amethod of and means for applying a viscous material to the insulator insuch manner that it will be caused to enter the crevices and therebypositively form a seal which will exclude air as well as moisture.

An important object of the invention is to provide a vacuum process ormethod for Withdrawing the air from the crevices, then applying viscousmaterial, and subsequently breaking the vacuum so that when normalatmospheric pressure is restored the viscous or other sealing materialwill be sucked into the crevices so that they will be filled to asufficient depth to form a seal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for thepurpose mentioned which will be simple, inexpensive and yet highlyeificient.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionpreferably consists in the method and apparatus to be hereinafter morefully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawingin which:

The figure is a cross section through an insulator equipped withsuspension or connecting elements, the view also disclosing the meansemployed for carrying out the process.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 1 designates aninsulator which may be of-the Jetfrey-DeWVitt type, including aporcelain body 2 formed with recesses 3 within which are embedded theends of whatever suspension elements 4 are provided at either the top orthe bottom of the insulator. The suspension means is secured by pouringmolten metal into the recesses in embedding relation to the ends of thesuspension elements. The metal is indicated on the drawing by thenumeral 5. Insulators of this type are ordinarily provided at theirupper surfaces with an upstanding somewhat reduced portion 6 which maybe said to constitute a species of neck. Itis immaterial what kind ofmetal is used for securing the suspension elements, though ordinarily itcontains quite a large percentage of zinc which, as is well known, willoxidize to an appreciable extent when exposed to the air 7 for anextended period. When the molten metal poured. into the recessessolidifies it is of course contracted and there is consequently a smallspace between the mass and the walls of the recesses. This space is ofcourse full of air and oxidation of the metal takes place. Furthermore,especially at the top of the insulator, water may enter the crevices andfreeze, this condition causing chipping and possible cracking of theporcelain. Regard ess of whether it is the effect of air or the water,or both, the fact remains that oxidation does occur.

In carrying out the present invention I exhaust the air from thecrevices, apply a viscous or other suitable sealing material and thenpermit normal atmospheric pressure to be restored. While it is readilyconceivable that various means might be employed for this purpose I haveillustrated and have conveniently emplo ed the structure shown.

which may actua ly comprise a cup or shell member 7 adapted to bedisposed over or upon the neck 6 or other portion of the insulator body,the large end of this cup member being e nipped with some suitablegasket 8 which will fit snugly against the insulator body and form anair-tight joint. Any suitable pump or other vacuum producing means maybe connected with this cup member for the purpose of' exhausting the airtherefrom and from the crevices about the metal masses 5. Use is alsomade of a container 9 within which is placed a suitable viscous orfluent material, of such character as to be waterproof when set. Thecontainer 9 may be mounted adjacent or carried by the cup member 7 thisdetail being immaterial and leading from the container to the interiorof the cup member at some convenient point thereon is an outlet tube orother conduit 10 within which is interposed a cut off valve 11.

In the operation of treating the insulator, the cup 7 is placed thereonin surrounding relation to the suspension element or connecting member 4and the cu is pressed firmly so that the gasket 8 will make an air-tightjoint against the porcelainbody of the insulator. The air is thenexhausted from the cup by whatever means is provided. Obviously, the airwill be drawn out of the crevices about the metal masses 5. The valve 11is then opened to permit the sealing material to flow into the cupmember and onto the insulator. The vacuum is then relieved or broken sothat the restoration of atmospheric conditions will cause the sealingmaterial to enter the crevices, filling them, if not entirely, at leastto a sufiicient extent that when the insulator is subsequently used airand moisture will be excluded from around the metal masses, corrosion oroxidation thereof being consequently prevented. An insulator treated inthis manner will have a much lon er life than one untreated inasmuch ast ere will be no swelling or expansion of the metal masses as the resultof corrosion and therefore no strain which w(1)u ld tend to break, chipor crack the porce am.

While I have shown and described a certain means for carrying out theinvention and a certain method in connection therewith, it should beunderstood that the disclosure is merely an exemplification of theprinciples involved, inasmuch as the right is reserved to make all suchchanges in the apparatus and method steps as will not depart from the sirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an insulator treating system of the character described, meansengageable upon a portion of an insulator of a type having an elementsecured thereto by metal cast thereabout and within a recess in theinsulator, said means being adapted to have vacuum producing meansconnected therewith for withdrawing the air from the crevices about thecast metal mass, and means con nected with said first mentioned meansfor introducing fluent sealing compound whereby upon the restoration ofatmospheric pressure conditions the sealing material will be caused toenter the crevices.

2. Means for removing air from the crevices about the metallic anchorinelements in an insulator of the type inclu ing a porcelain body providedwith a metallic suspension element having its ends embedded in a metalmass cast within a recess in the body, and filling said crevices withmoisture-proof material, said means comprising a cup member having anopen side provided with sealing means and adapted to be forcibly enagedupon an insulator to be treated wherey the cup member will surround thesuspension element and cover that portion of the porcelain body in whichthe metallic elements are anchored, said cup member having a constrictedportion adapted for connection with suction producing means, areceptacle for an impregnating material, and valved means connected withthe receptacle and cup member at a point in the latter whereby todischarge a stream of impregnating material upon that ortion of theporcelain body within the con nes of the cu member.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature.

KENT A. HAWIJEY.

